environmentNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94environmentTue, 29 Nov 2016 00:31:55 +0000environmenthttp://ijpr.org
We tend to think in terms of fresh water and ocean water ecosystems, but there's a whole lot of life in between. Estuaries, where salt and fresh water meet, are teeming with all kinds of creatures, animal and vegetable. Dr. David Sutherland at the University of Oregon studies estuaries, both close to home and in the Arctic. And he'll deliver a lecture on Friday (December 2) in Coos Bay about how the estuary at Coos Bay functions. Where The River Meets The Oceanhttp://ijpr.org/post/where-river-meets-ocean
61159 as http://ijpr.orgFri, 25 Nov 2016 18:52:00 +0000Where The River Meets The Ocean Oregon was green before green was cool. In a twenty-year stretch, the state made great strides in protecting the environment: putting beaches in public hands, requiring cash deposits for beverages to discourage littering, and land-use regulations to keep growth compact. That's just the short list. Historian Derek Larson fleshes out the rest in his book Keeping Oregon Green, just out from Oregon State University Press. Oregon's Environmental Golden Age Remembered In New Bookhttp://ijpr.org/post/oregons-environmental-golden-age-remembered-new-book
61039 as http://ijpr.orgWed, 16 Nov 2016 18:54:01 +0000Oregon's Environmental Golden Age Remembered In New Book Early white visitors to the American West were impressed by its bounty: natural beauty and riches that seemed to stretch to the horizon. But the resources could be exhausted, and in some cases were. Weber State University professor Sara Dant writes of the progression through the years in her book Losing Eden: An Environmental History of the American West. The timeline stretches thousands of years, from the migration across the Bering land bridge to the present day. Tracing The Environmental History Of The Westhttp://ijpr.org/post/tracing-environmental-history-west
59822 as http://ijpr.orgTue, 25 Oct 2016 19:42:09 +0000Tracing The Environmental History Of The West Most of our trash goes out of sight, out of mind in landfills. But plenty of the world's refuse ends up in waterways, to end up in the ocean. And plastics in the ocean can present hazards to sea creatures and the health of creatures up the food chain. The organization called Algalita is dedicated to studying plastic trash and its effects at sea. People Who Track Ocean Plastic: Algalitahttp://ijpr.org/post/people-who-track-ocean-plastic-algalita
59127 as http://ijpr.orgWed, 12 Oct 2016 17:48:37 +0000People Who Track Ocean Plastic: Algalita It all started with a rugby shirt. Yvon Chouinard ordered them from overseas, because he found a brand that would keep his rock-climbing equipment from cutting his neck. He soon began to make and sell his own under a new name: Patagonia. Now it's about much more than shirts, and about much more than the gear itself. Patagonia works to deliver Earth-friendly and sustainable goods and donates a chunk of its income to environmental groups. A book Chouinard wrote for his employees, Let My People Go Surfing, has been re-released with new material. From Rugby Shirts To Saving The Planethttp://ijpr.org/post/rugby-shirts-saving-planet
58719 as http://ijpr.orgTue, 04 Oct 2016 17:24:00 +0000From Rugby Shirts To Saving The Planet We see cats and dogs aplenty in our communities, but there are plenty of other critters around, in town and out. We want to recognize some of the notable ones, with a monthly Creature Feature on The Exchange. And the creature-of-the-month is the Asian jumping worm, alternately called "crazy snake worm." It's a worm, not too different from the average earthworm, but with some particular abilities. Among them: a voracious appetite for material on forest floors. So recent sightings in Oregon, including in Grants Pass, concern agencies like the Oregon Department of Agriculture. "Creature Feature" Debut: Jumping Wormshttp://ijpr.org/post/creature-feature-debut-jumping-worms
56575 as http://ijpr.orgWed, 24 Aug 2016 18:17:06 +0000"Creature Feature" Debut: Jumping Worms Blast from the Past: Summer nights are excellent for viewing the night sky. Especially in August, when the Perseid meteor shower puts on something like a natural fireworks show. But in much of the world, lights from the ground tend to obscure our view of the lights from the sky. Paul Bogard wrote about this in his book The End Of Night. Old Favorite: "The End Of Night"http://ijpr.org/post/old-favorite-end-night
54743 as http://ijpr.orgThu, 21 Jul 2016 17:06:00 +0000Old Favorite: "The End Of Night" Our tongues may trip over the term "anthropocene," so let's make this statement: people have changed Earth, in profound ways. If we truly wanted to restore nature as we found it, how would we go about it? That's one of the questions raised by Jordan Fisher Smith in his book Engineering Eden. It begins with a man killed by a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park, and continues to a court case that set two brilliant biologists against each other. Can We Take The Human Out Of The Environment?http://ijpr.org/post/can-we-take-human-out-environment
53718 as http://ijpr.orgThu, 30 Jun 2016 17:56:03 +0000Can We Take The Human Out Of The Environment? School is out for the summer, but students are still learning things. High school students in the city of Rogue River will spend part of their vacation keeping up with the skills they gained in the "Learning to Protect Our Environment" program. During the school year, the program pairs the high school students with elementary school kids to teach environmental stewardship skills. A similar program is offered in the summer, with an emphasis on the effects of climate change on the environment. Rogue River Offers Summer School On Climate Changehttp://ijpr.org/post/rogue-river-offers-summer-school-climate-change
53387 as http://ijpr.orgFri, 24 Jun 2016 17:42:12 +0000Rogue River Offers Summer School On Climate Change Not everybody in California can ever brag about bringing home a GEELA. Fewer still can say they won it twice, but Prather Ranch's owners can. GEELA is the Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award, California's highest environmental honor. Prather Ranch won for the second time recently, for its stewardship of a half-million acres of land in the North State. Northstate Ranch Wins California's Top Environmental Prizehttp://ijpr.org/post/northstate-ranch-wins-californias-top-environmental-prize
45565 as http://ijpr.orgTue, 09 Feb 2016 20:16:43 +0000Northstate Ranch Wins California's Top Environmental Prize Dirt: it's beneath us. Physically, yes, but it is also celebrated by more people than you might think. Stop to consider how much we depend on the dirt beneath us, for places to grow food, for building materials, and a host of other uses. The celebration continues in the hands of 36 writers in the anthology Dirt: A Love Story. The writers range from artists to scientists. For The Love Of Soilhttp://ijpr.org/post/love-soil
43677 as http://ijpr.orgFri, 08 Jan 2016 01:40:00 +0000For The Love Of Soil The products that make your teeth smooth and give your skin a healthy glow can have unintended impacts on the environment. Some soaps, toothpastes, and other cleaning products contain plastic "microbeads" as mild abrasives. But it's okay... they wash down the drain. Oh, that's the problem... they get through treatment plants and end up in rivers, causing problems for wildlife. That's why federal legislation will ban plastic microbeads in 2018, a move applauded by scientist Chelsea Rochman at the University of California-Davis. Congress Beats California To A Microbead Banhttp://ijpr.org/post/congress-beats-california-microbead-ban
43583 as http://ijpr.orgWed, 06 Jan 2016 18:40:14 +0000Congress Beats California To A Microbead Ban There's a sigh of relief from conservation groups about the congressional reauthorization of LWCF, the Land and Water Conservation Fund. But it's just a sigh, not a cheer. Congress kept LWCF alive for three more years, but with funding for only one. Groups like the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association wanted more; NSIA calls the move "a band aid." Congress Renews Conservation Fund (Kinda)http://ijpr.org/post/congress-renews-conservation-fund-kinda
42860 as http://ijpr.orgMon, 21 Dec 2015 18:39:07 +0000Congress Renews Conservation Fund (Kinda) If you want to convince people that your product is "green," slapping a green label on it probably won't do it. A blue label might, though. University of Oregon marketing professor Aparna Sundar found that the connotations of certain colors affect how people perceive the products they buy: even the most environmental-friendly product could still turn off consumers with a red label. Going Green By Another Colorhttp://ijpr.org/post/going-green-another-color
42457 as http://ijpr.orgMon, 14 Dec 2015 19:11:43 +0000Going Green By Another ColorAUDIO LINK We've known for a long time that lead can do some horrible things to the human body. And so the government took steps to curtail the ways in which lead is used... it is no longer an ingredient in paint or gasoline, for example. But critics point out that the government has been slow to take further steps that might have protected people, but also would have caused some business impacts. The critics include science historians Gerald Markowitz and David Rosner, the authors of the book Lead Wars. From The Archives: "Lead Wars"http://ijpr.org/post/archives-lead-wars
40513 as http://ijpr.orgMon, 09 Nov 2015 18:09:31 +0000From The Archives: "Lead Wars" While planning and zoning laws and codes are plentiful, businesses that are less environmentally-friendly can still set up shop, as long as all the permits are in place. How To Exercise "Community Rights" On The Environmenthttp://ijpr.org/post/how-exercise-community-rights-environment
38631 as http://ijpr.orgMon, 05 Oct 2015 17:49:17 +0000How To Exercise "Community Rights" On The Environment Hypothetical: if we all have the same opportunity for success in society, but some of us live in environmentally degraded areas, are we all receiving justice? Under the concept of environmental justice, the answer is no. It's not a new concept; the Oregon Legislature created an Environmental Justice Task Force nearly a decade ago. The task force meets in Medford this week (September 25th) with the heading "Fairness For the Land and the Worker." The Northwest Forest Worker Center and the farmworker group PCUN are among the sponsors.Justice For Workers And Environmenthttp://ijpr.org/post/justice-workers-and-environment
37926 as http://ijpr.orgTue, 22 Sep 2015 21:30:46 +0000Justice For Workers And Environment One bloom of toxic blue-green algae is a concern. Two is a problem. A whole series approaches the realm of crisis, and that's where we are. Researchers at Oregon State University are taking note of the many--and increasing--incidents of toxic algae blooms, and the challenge they represent for managers of recreational and drinking water. Not to mention the challenge for all of us who use water. Toxic Algae Blooms On The Risehttp://ijpr.org/post/toxic-algae-blooms-rise
36137 as http://ijpr.orgFri, 21 Aug 2015 17:53:06 +0000Toxic Algae Blooms On The Rise Offshore drilling for oil and gas is often opposed by people who favor the protection of sensitive and significant lands. Except for one thing: the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. LWCF uses offshore oil and gas lease income to purchase property for public use; grants have bought big chunks of land in both states. But two issues loom: Congress often diverts money from the fund for other purposes... and the fund will expire this year without Congressional intervention. Offshore Drilling Assists Land Conservation (For Now)http://ijpr.org/post/offshore-drilling-assists-land-conservation-now
36085 as http://ijpr.orgThu, 20 Aug 2015 17:39:52 +0000Offshore Drilling Assists Land Conservation (For Now)Oregon's love of natural areas, the push for economic development, and a governor who resigned under pressure... these are just some of the elements that converge in the state's proposed land swap in the Bandon area. A deal approved last year would turn 280 acres of the Bandon State Natural Area over to a private developer for a golf course. Park Land Swap Tees Off Opponents http://ijpr.org/post/park-land-swap-tees-opponents
32934 as http://ijpr.orgMon, 22 Jun 2015 17:10:20 +0000Park Land Swap Tees Off Opponents